You don’t need us to tell you that Duke, Arizona and Michigan will be No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Nevermind the final few days of the regular season or upcoming conference tournaments. It will take more than another loss to knock any of those teams off the top line. They have done enough.

The remaining No. 1?

Defending NCAA champion Florida (24-6) and 2023-24 champ UConn (27-3) are the only candidates.

Polymarket alert.

It’s Florida.

The NCAA selection committee can take the easy path or the more considered one when it announces the 68-team tournament field on Selection Sunday, March 15.

The Big East champion Huskies can point to one game as justification for their second No. 1 seed in three years — a 77-73 victory over Florida in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 9.

UConn held the Gators to 40 percent shooting and forced a five-second call on an inbounds play with nine seconds left in a three-point game, preventing the Gators from a potential game-tying shot.

A quality win’s quality win.

UConn is 18-2 since entering its final regular-season Big East game at Marquette on Saturday.

In the three months since, Florida has grown fangs.

Florida is 19-2 since, while playing a tougher schedule in a tougher Southeastern conference. It has won 10 straight, the longest current streak in the Power Six and the fourth-longest in Division I behind Miami, Ohio (30), Navy (13) and High Point (11).

It simply took Florida a bit longer to find its new identity.

Dynamic point guard Walter Clayton was the most influential player in the NCAA tournament during the Gators’ run to their third title a year ago.

Clayton’s skill and will helped the Gators overcome a nine-point deficit to Texas Tech in the West Regional finals, a nine-point deficit to Auburn in the national semifinals, and a 12-point deficit to Houston in the title game. Simply breathtaking.

And never mind the earlier 77-75 second-round NCAA victory over UConn, when the Gators overcame a six-point lead to end coach Danny Hurley’s bid for a three-peat.

No longer guard-first but not guard-bereft, the Gators have arguably the best frontline in the college game led by forward Thomas Baugh, a projected 2026 NBA lottery pick. They lead the NCAA with a plus-14.3 rebound margin and are ninth in scoring margin at plus-15.7.

Analytics trust the Gators.

Duke, Michigan, Arizona and Florida are ranked 1-4 in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin. UConn is 10th.

Duke, Michigan, Arizona and Florida are the only teams to rank among the top nine in both offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency. UConn is 12th in defensive efficiency and 20th in offensive efficiency.

Numbers can change, but the trend seems clear.

UConn won the game. Florida has won the war.

Former world champion Paulie Malignaggi has predicted the rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, basing his opinion largely on Pacquiao’s latest performance.

The two pound-for-pound legends will square off in a professional rematch at the Sphere, Las Vegas, on September 19, over a decade removed from their first encounter.

Back then, Mayweather came away with the WBC, WBO and WBA world welterweight titles after convincingly outpointing his rival, who has since been involved in eight professional outings.

The most recent of which came in July, when the Filipino ended a near four-year hiatus and held then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a contentious draw.

Other than that, the 47-year-old has done very little to prove his professional capabilities in recent years, while Mayweather is perhaps even less qualified to compete in a sanctioned bout.

The 49-year-old has not fought in a ‘competitive’ contest since 2017, when a 10th-round finish over Conor McGregor hardly justified the ‘professional’ tag attached to their crossover affair.

But still, many believe that Mayweather will orchestrate a repeat of proceedings in his sequel with Pacquiao, despite having only been involved in exhibitions since his 50-0 victory over McGregor.

Speaking on BoxingScene, Malignaggi expressed this opinion while, at the same time, highlighting that he was largely unimpressed by Pacquiao’s last display.

“I think Mayweather, if there’s anything left, probably beats Manny. I don’t think Manny looked particularly great [against Barrios].

“But also, from Manny’s perspective, he’s going to grab on to that momentum. He got a draw with a [then-world] champion.”

Mayweather will again put his unbeaten record on the line against Pacquiao, who boasts an extraordinary resume himself after having become an eight-division world champion.

For both fighters, though, their respective legacies should hardly be impacted by the result of this rematch.

You’re no doubt familiar with the phrase: Defense never rusts.

So while the Jayson Tatum fan club uses his long absence as an excuse for the rim-chipping step-backs, the crowd-pleasing passes into the audience and the dribble out of bounds off his bloated ankle, there’ll be nothing but the naked truth about his defense within seconds of when he steps back onto the court.

Tatum is the most overhyped player in the history of the NBA. Don’t believe me? I have a stat to prove it.

Three NBA All-Stars suffered Achilles tears last year. All are plotting a comeback.

Since the injury, Tyrese Haliburton has gotten – by my unofficial count – 96 updates posted on social media.

Damian Lillard, who made himself available to the media masses at the All-Star Game and then, incredibly, went out and won the 3-Point Shootout, has warranted 126 updates.

Tatum has had 158 … yesterday alone. His total (this changes by the minute): 7,966.

And I’m not counting the five-part documentary on the incredible story of an athlete making a miraculous comeback from an Achilles injury. Apparently it’s never been done before.

As Tatum’s return to game action gets closer, the saga gets even more ridiculous.

You gotta know the NBA, which has driven the Tatum hype machine from Day 1, wants their Golden Boy to return next Tuesday against the Spurs. Why? Because it’s a nationally televised game on NBC, the league’s cash cow.

But Tatum went to Duke, remember? He’s not dumb enough to take that path.

He’d rather make a triumphant return in a game in which, well, a triumph is more likely … like Friday night against the hapless Mavericks. It’s his kind of stat-padding opponent.

Plus, it’s at home, which makes sense, and comes at the perfect time … Two days after the Celtics were drubbed by the Hornets, demonstrating – despite the shiny record – that the club desperately needs him back.

It would make the perfect theater. Likely accompanied by a green carpet.

That first dribble between the legs. Wow. Waited 10 months for this. Worth every minute.

That 11th dribble between the legs on the same possession. Incredible. He’s still got it.

That assist to Jaylen Brown. Classic teammate. Forget for a moment that Payton Pritchard has done this 70 times already this season.

And that 3-pointer. He’s back! It came on his fifth ill-advised 24-footer of the night, but the broadcasters have already cautioned seven times that he’s rusty.

We’ll give him that. But whenever he returns, a well-rested Tatum should be on top of his game defensively. He’s made this perfectly clear in the twice-a-day videos he’s directed.

And this is a potential problem.

You see, while Tatum has fooled people into thinking he’s more than an Olympic Team 12th man by putting up impressive numbers in points, rebounds and assists, you can do that by shooting a lot, standing next to the basket on defense and committing a lot of turnovers.

But there’s no defending his defense.

It’s remarkable how often Tatum is cited as an outstanding defender. Heck, over the course of his career, he’s gotten almost as many All-Defensive Team votes as Brown.

That speaks to the myth of Jayson Tatum as much as anything.

Watch Brown play defense. Complete lock-down guy at multiple positions. Look at what he did to Luka Doncic in the 2024 Finals.

The Celtics won that title on the defensive end of the court. Fortunately, seven of the 11 voters for Finals MVP saw that and went with Brown.

Tatum got the other four votes … surely not for shooting 26% on 3-pointers as he almost single-handedly kept the Mavericks in the series.

As the broadcasters reminded us multiple times: It was his blanket defense on Mavericks big men Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II that won the series for the Celtics, failing to note that two stiffs with a combined shooting range of 18 inches went 28-for-39 in the five games.

You want to learn a little something about Tatum that’s not covered in his documentary? Focus on his defense in his return.

First, note who he’s guarding. He routinely gets assigned to the other team’s weakest forward or center while Brown actually guards a guy with a heartbeat.

Is that what you do with an elite defender?

Because his guy is no threat, he gets an opportunity to hang around the hoop while Brown and his hard-working mates induce bad shot after bad shot. Tatum has 4,293 career rebounds; his cumulative jump for those boards has totaled 4,292 inches.

And then watch as an opponent attacks the rim. Ole’. After all, he can’t afford to get in foul trouble.

The master plan: This allows him to grab the ball out of the net and inbound it to someone sure to pass it back immediately, so Tatum can begin his dribbling act.

You can stop watching at that point. He will be, after all, rusty offensively.

But on defense, he won’t be rusty at all. Just – as usual – exposed.

As India get ready for the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, a debate has started over the team’s opening combination. Questions are being raised about whether the side should continue with Abhishek Sharma despite his run of low scores or bring in Rinku Singh for the title clash.

With the trophy at stake, the discussion has spread among fans and experts.

Abhishek’s numbers in the tournament have drawn attention. In seven matches, the left-hander has scored 0, 0, 0, 15, 55, 10 and 9, making a total of 89 runs at an average of 12.71.

Except for a half-century against Zimbabwe, he has not managed to score consistently, leading to questions over whether India should persist with him in the final.

The debate has gained momentum on social media, especially on X, where fans have expressed different views on the issue.

“You can’t take risks with a person who is consistently flopping. This is the final and we must go with full strength, without any weak link,” wrote one fan, as cited by news agency IANS.

Another supporter said rival teams have already worked out how to dismiss him. “Abhishek has become so predictable. New Zealand will make sure he doesn’t score either. Rinku should come in.”

There are also voices supporting the youngster. “Abhishek can be our X factor in the final. There is a big inning due from him. He might deliver big in the finale,” another fan commented, as cited by IANS.

For the team management, the situation presents a choice: continue backing a player through a difficult phase or make a change before the final.

Attention is now on head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav. They will decide whether to stick with the combination that took India to the final or bring in Rinku Singh for the match.

At present, a change appears unlikely, but the decision will show whether India opts for continuity or makes a late adjustment ahead of the final.

India vs New Zealand final

Date & Time: India will face New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, March 8. The match will begin at 7:00 PM (IST).

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Live Telecast: Star Sports Network

Live Streaming: JioHotstar app.

It’s going to be a crucial week for Real Madrid and the future of their manager Alvaro Arbeloa. The Spanish giants lost the latest home game against Getafe and are now four points behind Barcelona in LaLiga standings. This is why Friday’s match against Celta Vigo will be crucial, only few days before the first leg of the Champions League’s Round of 16 against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Arbeloa spoke ahead of the game and looked confident.

“We know what we’re up against, we’re aware, and we were in the two matches we couldn’t win. We know the level we have to reach if we want to succeed against a great opponent, and that it depends a lot on ourselves and the level we deliver. For us, the past doesn’t exist, and we’re only thinking about Celta Vigo.”

Real Madrid will have to deal with the injury of French striker Kylian Mbappe, whose return on the pitch is still unknown. “I talk to him every day. Of course, we are keeping track of how he’s doing and how he feels. Each day, he’s getting better; it’s a process where we’re taking it day by day, observing his sensations, but it’s all good news as of today. He’s improving more and more”, Arbeloa added. 

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the game: 

How to watch Celta Vigo vs. Real Madrid, odds

• Date: Friday, March 6 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: Estadio Abanca-Balaidos — Vigo
• Live stream: ESPN+
• Odds: Celta Vigo +228; Draw +245; Real Madrid +117

Possible lineups

Celta Vigo XI: Andrei Radu; Javi Rodriguez, Joseph Aidoo, Carlos Dominguez; Oscar Mingueza, Miguel Roman, Ilaix Moriba, Sergio Carreira; Fer Lopez, Ferran Jutgla, Hugo Alvarez.

Real Madrid XI: Thibaut Courtois; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, Fran Garcia; Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch; Federico Valverde, Arda Guler, Vinicius Junior; Gonzalo Garcia.

Prediction 

It will be a key week for Alvaro Arbeloa’s future and Real Madrid, especially after losing the last home game against Getafe. This is a must-win clash for Real Madrid. Pick: Real Madrid 3, Osasuna 0. 

Terence Crawford has offered his take on why a mega fight between Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez continues to float in the ether.

During his time as WBC ‘interim’ champion, Benavidez had persistently called for a shot at Alvarez, who reigned supreme as undisputed super-middleweight champion between 2021 and 2024.

The Mexican then reclaimed his undisputed crown last year, outpointing William Scull, before losing a convincing unanimous decision against Crawford in September.

But while many still regard Canelo as the leading fighter at 168lbs, especially following Crawford’s retirement, the 35-year-old has never quite shaken off accusations that he avoided Benavidez.

In search of alternative opportunities, Benavidez moved up to 175lbs in 2024 and was elevated from ‘interim’ to full WBC champion last year, before defending his title with a seventh-round finish over Anthony Yarde in November.

Now bidding to become a three-division world champion, the 29-year-old looks to claim Gilberto Ramirez’s WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on May 2.

As for an elusive fight with Canelo, it appears that Benavidez now represents an even more formidable challenge, making it increasingly unlikely that the pair will ever collide.

Having previously shared 12 rounds with Alvarez, Crawford offered his thoughts while speaking with Joe Rogan, suggesting that Canelo views the size of Benavidez as a significant factor.

“I just think that Canelo, in a sense, knows how big Benavidez [is] going to come in the ring.

“Benavidez is a great fighter, but he’s a big fighter, he’s a tall fighter, and I just think Canelo [is saying to himself]: ‘Why would I wanna get in the ring with this guy that’s going to be massive, come fight time?’

“Canelo’s not a big guy. [But] he’s been fighting big guys his whole career, and beating them with skills.

“I [also] think the disrespect he got from Benavidez had persuaded him to go elsewhere.”

Advertisement

Canelo has been promised a world title fight by Turki Alalshikh in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this September, while Benavidez aims to craft a Hall of Fame career across multiple divisions.

Michigan won at Iowa 71-68 on Thursday while Michigan State beat Rutgers 91-87. Both games were closer than they were supposed to be, at least relative to the point speed. But the favorites still prevailed in each, setting up a showdown in Sunday’s regular-season finale between the Wolverines and Spartans that should be great.

Will it decide the Big Ten title? No.

Michigan is 28-2 overall and 18-1 in the Big Ten. Michigan State is alone in second in the conference standings — but three games back. So the Wolverines are already the outright champs, and they’ll get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday, in part, because of it.

Bracketology Bubble Watch: Miami (Ohio) aims for unbeaten regular season, NCAA Tournament security at Ohio

David Cobb

Advertisement

That’s a lock.

Here’s my question: Could MSU do the same?

It’s unlikely, of course, unless Florida, UConn and Houston all lose again at some point before the bracket is set, because if any of them win-out, the one that does will likely be the fourth No. 1 seed. And if all three win-out, reasonable minds can disagree on which one would or should get the fourth No. 1 seed, but, most agree, under that set of circumstances, it would be either Florida, UConn or Houston. So, definitely, those three seem to be in the so-called drivers’ seats, if you will.

But what if they all lose again between now and when the bracket is set, which is obviously possible and, in some cases, likely? And what if Michigan State wins-out while they all lose again between now and when the bracket is set? Because if Florida, UConn and Houston all lose again before the bracket is set, and if Michigan State wins-out, Michigan State would then enter the Selection Show with a 29-5 record that would (probably) feature 12 Quadrant-1 wins and just one defeat outside of the first quadrant, and if Florida, UConn and Houston all take another loss between now and when the bracket is set, what I believe is that Tom Izzo should then be coaching a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for what would be the fifth time in his Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame career, again, provided his Spartans turn their current five-game winning streak into a nine-game winning streak over the next 10 days.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Michigan remains No. 2 in Friday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, where Duke remains No. 1 for the 13th consecutive day.

Michigan State is No. 7.

Again, Michigan State-Michigan is set for Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

You can watch it on CBS.

Top 25 And 1 rankings

/ @lockedoncollegefootball